A journey through Zamora's Semana Santa

Hans India

18-05-2025

I was on my way to Zamora city, the capital of Zamora province in the Castile and León region of northwest Spain- a less explored and charming part of the country. Outside, swathes of golden rape fields and emerald meadows stretched like silken tapestries, while the icy breath of a one-degree morning clung to the car windows. I was en route to witness Semana Santa—the Holy Week—in this ancient city, often called Spain's Romanesque treasure.
Zamora, perched above the Duero River, is a city suspended in time. With the highest concentration of Romanesque churches in all of Europe—24 dating from the 12th and 13th centuries—it's often described as a living museum of stone and faith. I checked into the Palacio del Duero, a tranquil hotel carved out of a 14th-century convent, and met my guide, Cristina, who led me through the heart of Zamora's storied past.
We began at Balborraz Street, a medieval artery sloping steeply toward the river lined with picturesque low-rise houses with balconies and wooden gazebos that overlook the street. This street hosts one of the key processions of Holy Week, and the air seemed to echo with the slow, solemn steps of hooded penitents. Everywhere we walked, I found the city reflecting the mood of the Holy Week: right from Semana Santa inspired window dressings to figurines of Christ in sorrow. Traffic lights were discreetly covered so as not to disturb the sacred aesthetic during processions.
The statue of the Merlú in Plaza Mayor captivated me—two bronze figures frozen in time, playing the drum and the cornet. They once roamed the city at dawn, waking the faithful for the processions. Thetradition continues even today, at 5 a.m. on Good Friday, five such pairs march through the streets, their haunting rhythms stirring souls from sleep. Cristina led me through the Romanesque mile: San Juan de Puerta Nueva, with its beautiful rose window; Santa María Magdalena, home to a mystical sepulchre and a smiling Christ, decorative elements, and stunning apse. San Isidoro, San Vicente, and Santiago del Burgo, each had its own charm.
The Church of San Pedro y San Ildefonso (the Saint patron of Zamora) houses the relics of San Ildefonso and San Atilano. Here the Virgin of Beautiful Love—Virgen del Amor Hermoso, carved in wood, is adorned with real earrings donated by devotees seeking good fortune in love. She is depicted triumphing over evil, her foot crushing a devil-serpent bearing an apple in its jaws. We went past the Theatre of Ramos Carrion-a beautiful blue building; explored Viriato Square with the imposing sculpture of the Portuguese shepherd; admired the 'Stone Bridge', one of the most iconic landmarks of Zamora- a Romanesque bridge from the 12th century consisting of sixteen oval arches that elegantly span the river.
The Cathedral of Zamora stood like a sentinel over the city, crowned with its unique Byzantine dome. Christoph Strieder- councillor of tourism in the town hall of Zamora, my cheerful host, received me warmly, took me around and introduced me to the local luminaries. Inside the cathedral, light filtered softly over carved choir stalls and Renaissance gates.
I felt I was in a period filmset: clergymen in velvet robes and rosaries holding staffs and the brotherhood standing solemnly in penitence. Protected from the cold I sat snugly inside the church and watched as they prepared for the procession. As hundreds of people viewed through the last rays of the sun, the solemn gathering in front of the cathedral made a picture of divine spirituality. Incense permeated the air as the penitents took an oath of silence. Holding candles, they then started moving slowly and so did the Pasos, carried reverently by the brotherhood members.
As I watched a stork feeding her young atop the Cathedral, with passion flowers blooming below, I knew I hadn't merely observed Semana Santa—I had lived it, in a city where faith is etched in every stone and whispered in every silence.